Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-06-23
COLBY. KANSAS. JUNE l1TH, 49,.


IEDIroR CAT:l
There seems 10 be some misuncer'
atanding. or no understanding at all with not
few protesting christians upon the subject OF
dancing. Therefore we concluded to write
brief discourse on the subject for the benent
of your many readers.
Our text will be found in Fec. "a, which
reads as follows:
a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a tiine
TO mourn and a time to dance.
In discoursing briefly upon the above pas
sage, We only propose to discuss the last
member of the sentence-"a time to dance.
LIST. When is the time to dance:
End. Is there a time w.,en christians may
lawfully and properly engage i'm dancing.
To arrive at proper conclusions i'm regard to
the first question. we mus. refer TO the prac-
tice of the people of God i'm ancient times. We
shall here refer to some of the most prOm-
nent examples of dancing mentioned in the
Bible. And Miriam the prophecies, the SIS
ter of Aaron, took timbrel in her hand, and
all the women went out after her with tim
brels and with dances.'-Ex. loo.
God had just delivered Israel from their en-
emics by leading them like Il flock through
the Red Sea: and the subject of the prophet
and the other pious women was, evidently
TO celebrate this great national victory by n
religious dance, accompanied with timbrel.
1t was the custom to praise God on those reat
national occasions by music and dancing.
This was therefore a time TO dance. But
mark you well, the object was to praise God,
and none but the women engaged in it.
Again. And Jephthah came to MiZpei.
unto his house, and behold his daughter came
out to meet him with timbrels and dances. and
she was his only child. Beside her he had
neither son nor Observation-Disclosures, 11-:4
This case is precisely like the former in its
main features. 1t was time of rejoicing
for great nationa! victory over their enc
mics, The young lady, tho daughter of the
conquercr, went out to meet her victorious
father with the timbre and the dance. No
one danced but her, and did not dance as a
mere matter of amusement but as an act of
worship to praise God.
Therefore they commanded the children
of benjamin, saying: Go. and lie i'm wait
in the vineyards, and see and behold; if
the daughters of Shiloh cone out to dance in
the Dances then come ye out of the vineyards
and catch you every man his wife and go to
the land of Benjamin Judges, 2l-21
From this passage il is evident that it was
the practice of the daughters of Shiloh to 20
out into the vineyards and orchards TO dance,
but no yourg men were with them. 1t was a
religious exercise, and while they were thus
engaged they were surprised and carried off
by the sons of Benjamin.
Again. And ii came to pass as they came
when David WAS returned from the slaughter
Sf the Phlistines that the women came out OF
all cities OF Israel, singing and dancing to meet
king Saul. with tmbreis. with joy, and with
instruments Of Muslc."-lStr Sam 49,
This was proper time to dance according
To the customs OF the nation. 1t was a time
OF rejoicing for victory over their implaca-
Bile enemies. tie Philistines. But you will oh
serve that it was the women that came out of
the cities OF Israel: no, the men. The object
Of the music and dancing was to honor the
kirg and his great captain. David: and also
70 praise God for dccvcrance
Praise we the Lord. Sing unto the Lord n
new song. ard his praise in the congregation
Of the saints. Let the children of Zion he joy
full in their King. Let Israel rejoice in Him
that made him. Let them praise His name in
the dance. Let them sing praises unto Him
with the t!mbrel and the harp."-Ps. 1913
Nothing can he more definite than the above
Let them praise his name in the dance"
Thou hast turned for me my mourning in
10 dancing. Thou hast put of my sack-coth
ard girdcd me with gladness. .0-ll.
Here the patriarch, David. speaks of his
mourning being turned into dancing. Here.
dancing is used in the sense of praising God.
From all that we can learn of dancing, it
appears,
l.t That dancing was relie iOus act. both
in true and also in idol worship.
End. That it WAS practiced exclusively ON
Joyful occasions. srch national festivals
or great victories.
3rd. That on such great occasions it was
performed only by one Of the sexes.
Attn. That it was performed usually in the
day time in the open air. in the highways,
fields and groves
9Th. That the men who perverted dancing
from n sacred use to purposes of amusement
were deemed infamous.
9Th That no instances of dancing are found
upon record in the Bible in which the two sex
rs united in the exercise, either rs an act OF
worship amusement.
eth That there are no instances on record
in the Bible of social dancing for amusement
except that of the vain fellows, void of shame
alluded to by Michael, or the irrcligiOus fam
lilies described by Job, which produced increas
Ell impiety and ended in distinctions; and OF
Herodas. which Terminated in the rash vow
of Herod and the murder of John the Baptist
In answer to our second inquiry. we answer
most unkesitatingly. No. The medern dance
10 an utter i,erversion OF the original design o.
dancing and has such ideas nor designs
attached to it now as wee connected with i
when David danced with his might befOr,
the ark" or when Miriam. the prophecies, le'
the women in the dance at the baptism at thu
Red Sea. Then the pious and good were lead
ers in the dance. but now the irreligiOus. thu
vain and the giddy do the dancing. God is no
in all their thoughts, and death and the Judge
ment day are put far away from thei
thoughts as possible.
The modern dance may be classified will
the works OF the fesh, and placed under hi
head of revelng, rioting. chambering, wan
ronness. See ROM. l3-l.l3 and GAL, SCI.
And of course christians cannot engage in
such vain amusements without sacrificing
their christian influence.
g II